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ARCHIVED - Spain condemns attack on Ukraine as EU announces massive sanctions against Russia
"Putin will pay for aggression against Ukraine" warns the European Commission
The European Union has condemned Russia's "unjustified attack" on the Ukraine, and warned it will respond with "the biggest package of sanctions ever implemented".
"We are witnessing an unprecedented act of aggression against a sovereign state. The target is not just Donbas, it is not just Ukraine, it is the stability of the EU and the peace order, and we will make sure that Putin pays for it," European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced in an official statement.
Meanwhile, EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell warned Russia risks unprecedented isolation over its military action in Ukraine, adding that the EU must adopt "the most robust and most severe sanctions package in our history in the face of this critical situation", sentiments echoed by Spain's President, Pedro Sánchez who vowed: "Spain will go out of its way to maintain peace".
The leaders of the 27 EU countries, including Sánchez, are holding an emergency summit in Brussels on Friday February 25, to approve the sanctions that will "attack strategic sectors of the Russian economy".
The idea is to block Russian banks' access to European financial markets and freeze Moscow's assets in the Union. "It is designed to take a heavy toll on the Kremlin's ability to finance the war," explained Borrell.
He has also sent a message to the Kremlin to back down and withdraw troops from Ukraine, insisting that the bloc will not allow Putin to "overthrow the security order" in Europe.
"Do not underestimate the strength of democracy. History shows that societies based on trust and freedom are successful and resilient, and that is what autocrats fear."
Spain has also strongly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine calling it “a totally unjustified aggression of unprecedented seriousness and a flagrant violation of international law that risks global security and stability".
Spain has more than 600 military personnel and battle tanks, fighters and navy ships deployed in Eastern Europe as part of its regular contributions to NATO, although they are particularly relevant in the current context of Russia's attack on Ukraine.
Specifically, the Spanish Air Force has a presence in Bulgaria with a contingent made up of four Eurofighter fighter planes and 130 troops. It is an air police mission to deter and identify Russian aircraft that fly through its airspace without complying with international flight regulations.
Sánchez tweeted this morning (Thursday February 24): “The Government of Spain condemns Russia's aggression against Ukraine and expresses its solidarity with the Ukrainian Government and its people. I remain in close contact with our partners and allies in the European Union and NATO to coordinate our response.”
Image: Pedro Sánchez Twitter
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